Ranger Headquarters

Ranger Headquarters
Big Pine National Forest, Knotty Pine

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Answer to "RB Show Title Used Twice" Question

Thanks to everyone who participated in our question this last week, "What is the only RB show title used twice?"

RB006, aired in 1954, and RB192, aired in 1962, shared the same title, "The Fire Bug." Randolph Thompson was the 1956 "Fire Bug." Thompson would not put spark arrestors on his old coal-burning engines. Those engines passed through the big pines during the dry season setting off any number of fires that threatened those ancient giants. The 1962 "Fire Bug" found Bill and Ralph looking for the person or persons who were leaving campfires unattended up and down the Shady River. The boys suspected old hermit Buck Sawyer and also two out-of-town fishermen.

Congratulations to the 62% of you who got the correct title. I consider that one of our tougher questions. I think our next question is even tougher, it's about one of the retired Ranger Bill stories. Good luck and God's blessing!!!

Friday, February 25, 2011

RB117 The Measure of a Man

Tough guy Muscles and his two friends terrorize Knotty Pine and beat up Henry and the school principal. Judge White sentences the three troublemakers to some hard time - on the trail with Bill and the rangers to experience what real tough men are like. Bill lets the boys "escape" into the mountains to learn that they aren't so tough roughing it in the wilderness.

Monday, February 21, 2011

RB-116 The Deadly Laundry Basket

Bill gets a phone call from Sergeant Jim Donato of West Grove, IL. Jim's neighbor was bitten by a poisonous snake and is barely clinging to life. The snake was hiding in a laundry basket sitting in her garage. Bill thinks a rare plague of swamp rattlers has invaded the town. Bill and Henry fly to West Grove to try to deal with the threat. Then a child is bitten and the town begins to panic. What can the fellas do to protect West Grove from panic and this deadly menace?

(A list of the RANGER BILL cast and crew is given at the end of this show.)

Sunday, February 20, 2011

RANGER BILL Openings

There are roughly 200 Ranger Bill episodes that I am aware of. The show numbers, titles, and first airing dates that I have were provided by Moody Audio. AKA titles are Ranger Bill Fan Club titling.
The following are the two openings used on the show. These half-hour stories that His Kids provides us each week were produced from the fall of 1954 until 1962. Opening #1 was used from 1954 until the fall of 1959. #2 was then used through 1962.

Opening #1 - "Ranger Bill, Warrior of the Woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails, fighting the many enemies of nature. This is the job of the guardian of the forest, Ranger Bill. Pouring rain, freezing cold, blistering heat, snows, floods, bears, rattlesnakes, mountain lions. Yes, all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done."

Opening #2 - "Ranger Bill, Warrior of the Woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails, showing rare courage in the face of disaster, in the air, on horseback, or in a screaming squad car. Ranger Bill, his mind alert, a ready smile, unswerving, loyal to his mission. And all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done."
(This opening also contains the sounds of an airplane motor, running horse hooves, and a police siren.)

Ranger Bill patches

I have gotten some requests recently for Ranger Bill patches. If there is enough interest in patches, I will get some made. These patches would be the Ranger Bill badge designs seen on the bottom of this page or the one on our Facebook page. The Facebook design is the same as the badge on this page but with the colors reversed (i.e., green lettering with white background).

Please note that these patches were designed by a member of this fan club, Marty, which he graciously donated to the club. They are not products of the original Ranger Bill show nor of Moody Broadcasting.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Knotty Pine GAZETTE - Weather and a BIG Gear

FROM COLD AND SNOW TO WARM AND WET

The weather in and around Knotty Pine is the big news of the day, the week, and the month for that matter. Highs all along the eastern Rockies hovered around ZERO for much of last week, ranging from 14 above to 5 below zero. Temperatures today are expected to rise above freezing, possibly reaching into the mid-40's, along the Rockies and the Shady River Valley.

Wind was also a major factor. Winds have been averaging 20 miles per hour with gusts up to 30 and even 40 mph at times. This produced wind chill factors of -25 to -40 degrees all across the region. Residents were advised to stay indoors as much as possible and dress heavily in layers if they had to venture outside.

And yes, the snow was falling even harder and faster than the temperatures. Knotty Pine has seen more than a foot of snow just in the last week. Areas north of the city have seen snowfalls of up to two feet in that same period. Snow pack totals in may areas range from five feet deep to as much as six feet deep. City and state road crews have worked long and hard to keep area roads clear. Crews had been working around the clock for several days. Ranger Bill also has some of his men and machinery assisted city and state plows. Ranger crews have pulled out their big guns, Big Brute and their two "Little" Brutes.

Big Pine National Forest Chief Ranger Bill Jefferson tells the GAZETTE that the weather service is predicting heavy melting of snow all across the region, raising creek and river levels at or above flood stage all this week. Ranger Bill advises valley residents to be cautious around the Shady River, whether driving or fishing. Ice on the Shady is even now breaking up creating large ice flows and ice jams.



BIG BROKEN GEAR

All this snow and cold has been a big boon to the various ski lodges and resorts throughout the Shady Valley and the Eastern Rockies. All area lodges are reporting heavy use of all ski and snow boarding hills. Ski trails have also been very popular this past week.

A major breakdown has shut down skiing on the Rock Run Ski Lodge. The main gear that drives the ski lift broke on Tuesday, halting the big ski lift on Rock Run's big hill. The only lift is a small cable that skiers can use to ski up the hill. A replacement for the broken gear is being made by a small machine shop in Boston, Mass. This replacement should be done and delivered by the end of this week.

RB115 - 3-Legged Deer

RB115 - Three-Legged Deer - Two hunters can't find any deer. So they decide to shoot little Jerry White's injured pet deer, Torpedo. One of the men even punches Jerry in the face! Jerry's parents ask Ranger Bill to find the men and bring them to justice. People in town are in a rage over the hunters' actions. The hunt is on for the hunters. Will Bill be able to find the men and bring justice and order back to the town of Three Forks? (The folks who made Ranger Bill each week are credited at the end of this show.)

Rattlesnake Sam

One Ranger Bill fan asked if we have Rattlesnake Sam. The answer is yes, we do still play Rattlesnake Sam. Sam is program number RB-194. It won't be airing again for several months. It is available from Moody Broadcasting as an individual download or on their Ranger Bill CD #4. Please contact me if you have any trouble obtaining a copy of that show.

Friday, February 4, 2011

RB-114 The Hardhead

Colonel Anders must take a couple of months off for surgery. A man from Washington, George Benton, comes to Knotty Pine to fill in for the colonel. Mr. Benton is rude and expects ALL the rules to be followed to the letter without deviation or exception!!! Bill refuses to follow Mr. Benton's rule book. Benton suspends Bill and the rangers revolt.